homesick but happy, a year later

an excerpt from my senior seminar personal statement (seemed fitting):

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Last summer I had the opportunity to live and serve in Botswana. My summer spent in Africa inspired new hopes, dreams, and most importantly a newfound sense of purpose. Botswana made me feel alive. Alive in a way that I haven't felt for a long time – I've found that it’s often easy to fall into the background of life, get lost in the daily routine of classes, work, meetings etc. that sometimes people can become almost numb to the world around them. Botswana woke me up, made me feel real again. I cherished every single moment of my time spent in this beautiful country – not to say that I didn't have very real challenges and hard times, I did indeed, but there was never a moment that I would have rather been anywhere else in the world.

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I can hardly believe it has been a year since we left for Botswana, I still think about my time there everyday. I miss everything about it - the people, the beautiful shade of blue in the sky, the smells, the sounds, the combi rides, the hospitality..everything. I think about Champ, Tsasone, Shirley, Tootsie..and so many others that have made a continuing impact on the way I live my life. I am still discovering what my experiences in Bots have taught me - and still learning, 9 months later, and probably for a long while to come. Best of luck to all of the international teams students this year, you will all do wonderful things this summer - whether in Botswana, Kenya, Mexico or here at home, there are good things in store for you. Thank you for all you have taught me about life over this past year. It has been a pleasure to see the commitment, compassion and depth of service that you all have brought to the program. Embrace this experience for all its worth :)

A summer of service in Africa - a journey that continues to stay close to our hearts

A video that was played during our final reflection upon returing from Botswana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeL-Pa1M5o

'Feels like when you have it, then its gone..'

No where near ready to leave our home in Botswana..but so grateful for the time we have been able to spend in this wonderful country.

More Zim and Vic Falls videos

Chobe Safari

A few pictures from our amazing safari day at Chobe.

We spent the first half of the day on a relaxing boat ride where we saw piles of hippos, birds, kudu, warthogs, crocs, buffalo, giraffes, impalas ect. The last half of the day we jumped into an open safari vehicle and bounced around the safari. Chobe has the largest population of elephants in all of Africa - 60,000 elephants!! I would say we saw several hundred off in the distance as well as a few dozen up-close and personal. We even had the chance to ride right up to a mother elephant and her baby bathing in the river. It was by far the most wildlife we have seen thus far and overall an amazing day.

This is how close we were to the elephants!

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe!

Jack, myself and Matt soaking wet from the mist of the falls!

View from National Park of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

This past week myself, Meeka, Jack and Matt traveled to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. There are absolutely no words that can describe the beauty of Victoria Falls, I’m not even sure if my pictures can do it justice. From the Zim side we were able to view 70% of the falls from the national park. We spent our first day in Zim running from the view points in the park and got completely soaking wet from playing in the mist of the falls. I have no doubt that this was a day that I will never forget. I can see why Vic Falls is one of the seven wonders of the world - it is an absolutely breathtaking sight.

One of the many rainbows over the falls

This is a bit hard to see, but it costs Zimbabwe citizens 50 BILLION Zim dollars to enter the park

After the park we went to the bridge that connects Zimbabwe and Zambia. From the bridge I watched as Matt bungee jumped – I wish I had the courage to jump! It looked amazing and terrifying all at the same time.

Above: Matt bungee jumping of the bridge - the 3rd highest bungee in the world!
Below: Matt swinging above the falls - you have to look close but you can see him on the bungee!

More Gamodubu pics

Jayne, myself and Lorato
some of the girls at the entrance of UB
Gamobubu kids at the feeding project

HI GRANDMA! Glad you are reading my blog :)

Okavango Delta Trip

This past week six of my team members went on a mini vacation to the Okavango Delta. The Delta was a perfect change of pace for us and turned out to be a really relaxing stay at Audi Camp. We did a little wining and dining as well as a horseback trip through the bush and a day-long Mokoro trip. The campgrounds were beautiful and peaceful, we each stayed two to a tent and enjoyed strange animals noises during the nights. The night sky is a sight to be seen in the Delta – I don’t think I’ve seen that many stars in my lifetime.

We left on an overnight Gabs train to Francistown and then boarded a bus for another 7 hour drive. We arrived at Audi Camp a day and half later.
This is the tent I shared with Jayne at Audi Camp Me on my horse 'Shotgun'

Zebra we saw on the Mokoro trip Morkoro boat day trip - the highlight of this boat ride was when we heard a hippo's footsteps from behind the bush...we never did spot the hippo but did get the chance to see several zebra's and a huge giraffe. The second higlight was when our Motswana 'poler' began to sing the theme song to Lion King as he poled us down the delta.

Video of our relaxing Mokoro trip

We are now back in Gabs and will continue to volunteer in Old Naledi and Mokolodi until our next trip to Zambia/Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls in about two weeks. Happy to be at home at the university :)

a few videos and such..

This is a picture my little cousin Zach drew for me :)

Tsaone and Jack playing and rapping
(I'm working on rotating this video..can't figure it out for now)

Video of the toddler and preschool classes that I help teach - morning assembly songs

A few of the older girls playing in the school yard

you have the right to have..

This was Billy our goat that was given to us by Teacher Shirley's man friend..she refers to him as the 'old man'...receiving a goat is a very big honor in the village!

two by two..

"I try to believe like I believed when I was five... when your heart tells you everything you need to know"

My favorite part of each day in Botswana is seeing the kids first thing in the mornings...there is always about 30 of the children that run straight into our arms for hugs and kisses. I can't tell who's more excited to play, the kids or the seven of us. Entering our fourth week in Old Naledi, I feel it is quickly becoming our second home.

'Hiking' is an understatement

above: the view from the top of Kgale hill

below: group pic after we finished the climb

Summary of the past week:
- Started teaching in Preschool, it has its ups and downs but I think I will really enjoy the class of about 40 crazy 5 and 6 year olds.

- Took a tour of Old Naledi – by far the worst slums I have ever seen, we visited with a few different families and I am amazed by how positive their attitudes remain despite their living conditions. Champs tour of the village really opened our eyes to how the children live on a day to day basis.

- The second day that I was suppose to teach the teacher said she wasn’t going to be at school (fairly common for teachers to just randomly not be in class) so I made the boys and Meeka come with me to help out – a very fun day with the toddlers and preschoolers.

- Saturday Jack and I went to another soccer game, Botswana vs Ivory Coast (1-1) we had a good time cheering for the Zebra’s tied game. That night Meeka, Jack and I went to out to a club called the ‘Fashion Lounge’ and met up with a few friends from Penn University and had a blast dancing the night away.

- Sunday the seven of us met up with Luke and Graham (2 guys we met through Tlamelo) and they took us on a hike up Kgale Hill. Kgale hill is the highest point in Gaborone and took about an hour and half of hardcore rock climbing to the top – the view was breathtaking, it overlooked the entire city and Gaborone Dam. We stayed on top of the hill and took in the view until sunset and headed back down into town for a dinner with Graham.

This is Tsaone a little boy from Naledi - the teachers have started calling him my son. I have basically fallen in love with him.

power outage fridays

It's been a crazy week of ups and downs. I'm thinking about everyone at home after the tornado that struck Manhattan this past Wednesday. More updates coming this weekend...

A different kind of day...the happy and sad

Today was a different kind of day. It was my first full day teaching preschool in Old Naledi – I’m not exactly sure how to explain the feeling I had leaving the village today, but it was a first feeling for me being here, an uneasy feeling that I’m still trying to process.

I can’t pinpoint the change because most of my day was spent watching these 5 and 6 year olds sing and play, however, these kids that we laugh and play with day in day out are often sick, hungry and struggling.

On the bright side...they are learning and growing everyday and for that little time we are able to spend with them they are happy and loved - if that’s what we can provide while we are here it is worth every second of our time.